Pope Francis has cleared the path for the canonization of three new saints, including PNG’s first Papuan saint, Blessed Peter To Rot.
Blessed Peter, born on March 5, 1912, was a layman martyred for his faith in present-day Papua New Guinea during World War II. He continued to prepare couples for marriage despite the Japanese occupation and was sentenced to prison after his brother reported him to the police. Blessed Peter died of poisoning in July 1945.
Pope St John Paul II beatified Peter on January 17, 1995, paving the way for his possible canonization.
Additionally, Pope Francis has also cleared the path for the canonization of two other new saints: Blessed Ignatius Choukrallah Maloyan, an Armenian priest martyred during the genocide in Turkey; and Blessed Maria del Monte Carmelo, a Venezuelan-born nun who was healed of a heart condition after praying to her.
These three individuals will join the ranks of newly canonized saints, marking significant milestones for their respective faith communities.
Source: https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2025-03/pope-francis-saints-decrees-peter-to-rot-maloyan.html